Life is What You Make It
by OceanicFeeling
Summary: A deep look on what is going on through Ty Lee starting from the beach.  Why do Azula and Zuko act the way they do?  Ty Lee can see what others can't, and it unconsciously fuels her happiness.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Avatar characters, places... or things. If I did I wouldn't be writing this.

-Chapter One-

Circus freak.

Ty Lee knew a couple things, and one of those things was to believe in what you are doing. If you can do that, you can accomplish almost anything. That was why she idolized Azula so much. Azula was born with everything, and she still had the determination to be the best. It was like what she overheard Zuko saying once to Mai. "Azula was born lucky."

Ty Lee also knew she was strong. A strength that really emerged from her time with the circus. Yet it seemed to be a constant point of shame to the others, despite her amazing skills. What did they know? Her time away from royal dealings and war had brought more experience than the rest of them knew.

Ty Lee knew how to survive in the normal world.

* * *

Mai leaned against Zuko with the perpetual sullen face as the boat moved smoothly across the water. Azula stood facing the destination, although it was not in sight yet. Ty Lee on the other hand tried to busy herself with holding a handstand with the motion of the boat. A swell in the water knocked her balance of just enough to send her butt first towards the deck.

"Ow!" Ty Lee said with a tear creeping into her eye as she tried to rub the pain off her butt.

"Can't you keep still for five seconds?" growled Zuko, jostling Mai in the process. A flash of annoyance flashed in her face, but she settled back against him as soon as he looked back to the water.

"Sorry Zuko, I just..," Ty Lee started, but realized he wasn't really listening. She knew Zuko was upset that he and Azula were sent away on a forced vacation by their father. It was obvious that Mai would go with Zuko regardless, but Azula demanded that both of them went on the trip. Not that Mai was the best conversationalist, but now that she had Zuko, Ty Lee couldn't help but feel lonely. Azula was usually busy calculating with an unnerving cunning unfit for her adolescence.

She was jealous of Mai for having a boyfriend. She doubted Azula would've approved of the distraction of a boyfriend, but this was a very unique situation. She wanted the hold over Zuko and Mai allowed for it, and Mai got to be with her crush. All things considered, Zuko was cute to boot. The disfiguring scar just added to his 'bad boy who needs a little healing' persona.

Ty Lee knew she was attractive, her time at the circus affirmed that. Cute boys with normal problems had often advanced her, and she had grown accustomed to the luxury of courtship. A luxury that no longer existed due to her leaving the circus with Azula. Ty Lee missed it.

* * *

Things looked up after they had reached Lo and Li's cottage overlooking the beach. Ty Lee examined her body in the mirror as she changed into her beachwear. Her age and athleticism had come together ceremoniously, and vested her with a lithe body and ample curves. She smiled in the mirror, because going to a beach would give her a chance to flirt with a guy or three.

"Ty Lee!" Azula's voice commanded though the door, "Hurry up so the rest of us can change!"

"Coming Azula," Ty Lee cheerfully smiled.

* * *

Ty Lee's spirits soared as the rush of cool water crashed into the warm sand. The air had the promise of excitement, and most important: social interaction. It didn't take long for her to attract a few boys to her. "Can you two fan a little?" Ty Lee smiled real big and moved her body just enough to diminish any hesitance in the boys. "There is no more breeze."

Zuko and Mai sat in the shade of a large umbrella, largely due to Mai. Ty Lee speculated Zuko might have done something active under the sun if he wasn't with her. Zuko was very different before he had been banished. Azula had laughed and retold the tale to Mai and Ty Lee a couple of times. Mai hid her concern fairly well with the same dull look, but Ty Lee saw it clearly. She felt bad for Zuko too. When he came back from exile he was serious, and quick to anger. Although she didn't have a crush on him like Mai, she liked that he had been happy and much more sensitive to the feelings of others. Now his aura had been hardened by a long voyage. Occasionally she saw care seep into his eye towards Mai, but he was usually coolly rebuffed.

Sometimes Ty Lee felt she would have to be happy for all of them. She liked to think Azula didn't just want her along for her fighting ability, but because they were friends and Azula recognized the importance of a little cheer. After all, life is what you make it right?

Ty Lee was a barrel of sunbeams.

"Ty Lee, get over here now!" Azula said scrutinizing the volleyball ring with a dread menace. Azula gave off an magnificent feeling that exuded power. It was electrifying.

The boys looked sad as Ty Lee walked away in a handstand, and she thought that was the cutest thing. She missed the attention already, and a feeling that she wasn't quite old enough to exactly put her finger on. The feeling that she had come to miss every time she was Zuko and Mai kiss. Ty Lee wondered Azula ever felt like she was missing out.

* * *

The game was an utter joke, and with Azula's quick, accurate, and cold planning they swept the other team entirely. The product of abnormal people in a normal situation was apparent. Their opponents had never worried about fighting, the war, or even survival. They lived in the shelter of prosperity. The biggest concerns they had were social standings, and pimples.

The net burned quickly as Azula's aura flared brilliantly as she had dominated the game with apparent ease.

"I'm having a party tonight," a voice said with a practiced nonchalant tone, "you should come by."

Ty Lee's heart jumped at the chance to go to a normal teenage party. It didn't hurt that the boys were cute, despite the smug air. "Sure, I love parties!"

The other one spoke, "Your friend come too." Ty Lee guessed the cool air Mai off somehow attracted the boys. She still thought Mai would be much prettier if she smiled.

Azula interjected with a confident demeanor, and Ty Lee knew Azula's confidence and tendency towards domination of all things tended to work. Ty Lee also could sense that this didn't appeal at all to the boys despite the beautiful face, and nymph-like body Azula commanded with cold grace. Azula had just never learned to play the game. It was no real surprise that Zuko wasn't invited. After all, what boys are looking to invite more boys to their parties? Especially one who had been receiving a couple of stares from intrigued girls. Ty Lee picked up on that quickly, and she wondered if Mai had too.

With the promise of a party on the horizon Ty Lee couldn't keep in the joy, and she flipped and cartwheeled about. Mai sighed, and Zuko walked beside trying to cool his smoldering anger from the arrogance of the two boys. Azula naturally walked in front of the small group, and held a sinister smile.

-End Chapter 1-

I wanted to make Ty Lee a larger focus for now, because I think she has the most potential as a character to be flushed out. I hope you enjoyed reading it, and I would appreciate it if you said what you liked. If you didn't like it I would also appreciate what you didn't like about it. Thanks!


	2. Heartstring Box Social

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Avatar characters, places... or things. If I did I wouldn't be writing this.

-Chapter Two-

Dinner with Lo and Li proved to be as interesting as one might expect. Though the food was impressive, the combined speaking of Lo and Li troubled Ty Lee. They must have spent many long years together to be like that. Ty Lee was glad she didn't have the problem of siblings anymore. She couldn't distinguish between Lo and Li unless they said their names.

* * *

After dinner they changed out of their beachwear and the three girls sat in front of the mirror struggling to perfect their looks. Azula was trying to comb hair so it would look good down. Ty Lee couldn't remember the last time she had seen Azula with her hair down. Long hair could be a disadvantage in a battle Azula once said when Ty Lee's braid had really begun to grow out. Mai sighed about how long the preparation was taking. 

"The beach sure was fun today," Ty Lee said tilting her head over just a bit to see if her braid looked good over one of her shoulders.

"Yes, and Mai and little Zuzu looked just darling," Azula said in a mocking tone.

Mai just scowled silently.

Ty Lee giggled, "Yeah, a group of girls couldn't keep their eyes off of Zuko."

"Whatever," Mai said, standing up. She didn't change much other than her ice cream stained clothes anyways. She went out of the room to escape from further conversation.

* * *

Zuko sat impatiently on the porch where they had eaten dinner. He didn't really want to go to the party. He finally had returned to the fire nation, found a relationship, and now both were threatened. The long haired one had invited Mai, and Zuko was cautious. He could take down many seasoned benders, but he didn't know anything about how to prevent guys from flirting with his girlfriend. What could he do? 

"Hey"

Mai had sneaked up on him and leaned against him. He put his arm around her, and they both kept their thoughts to themselves.

* * *

"So have you had any boyfriends since I was gone?" Ty Lee asked innocently, hoping to learn more about what her friend had been up to. Sometimes it was like Ty Lee had spent her whole life with the circus, and her life before was like an old movie she knew by heart. 

Azula seemed to fumble at the question, and then responded, "Nothing official, besides emotional attachments get in the way." If Ty Lee hadn't laughed she might have noticed Azula unhappily glance to the side quickly.

"It's not all that bad Azula," Ty Lee said with a big smile, "and it isn't like you are 'emotionally attached' right away." Ty Lee looked past Azula at something her friend couldn't see. "Sometimes it is just fun to kiss a guy you know you will probably never see again!"

A faint blush hit Azula's cheeks, and she stood up to hopefully leave it in front of the mirror. "Come on, we don't want to be late for the party."

Ty Lee did a back extension roll and walked after her friend in a handstand.

* * *

In the first two minutes they had arrived, Ty Lee felt lonely. Azula had went straight for Chan, and Ty Lee wasn't going to interfere. Mai already had Zuko, and on top of that Ruon Jian seemed to be interested in Mai. Ty Lee saw him give her long seductive looks, that most girls would come running too. Whether Mai cared or not Ty Lee couldn't tell, but Zuko on the other hand would occasionally give a sharp look to dissuade Ruon Jian. 

When people started to come about an hour later the situation had changed. Azula had retreated to a post, Ruon Jian begun talking to other girls, and Zuko and Mai sat on a bench away from the party. Ty Lee had a host of boys around her, and most them had brought some kind of drink for her to break the ice.

The pressure had become overwhelming however as they tried to pin her down. Ty Lee thought they were all cute, but she didn't want to hurt anyones feelings. Instead she just knocked them all out, and made a graceful escape.

Upon finding Azula coolly leaning against a post, Ty Lee felt happier. Until Azula got to about the point where she said the boys didn't really care who she was. Her own friend had discounted her identity, and Ty Lee felt the tears sting her eyes.

Azula recovering quickly said, "Ok ok, calm down. I didn't mean what I just said. Look maybe I just said it because I was a little... jealous." She whispered the last part.

A quicker recovery Ty Lee never had. Her royal friend and idol had just admitted to being jealous. She decided to give a couple tips on how she attracted boys. With a little practice, Azula walked away with new burning resolve.

* * *

Alone again Ty Lee wandered over to the table to see if it had any water to drink. Zuko stood there looking over the elaborate array of food. "Hi Zuko," Ty Lee said standing next to him and attempting to look at the same foods he was, "What're you looking for?" 

"Some food for Mai," Zuko said with apparent concentration.

"Well, it's not that important," Ty Lee said with a warm smile, "but I think these are Mai's favorite!"

A discreet smile came to Zuko's face, and he began to fill the little dish he carried. "Thank you Ty Lee."

The next ten minutes of the party had happened quickly. Ty Lee had found a couple of girls who lived on the island to chatter about nothing with when she heard the crash. Zuko had gone too far and now was storming out. Ty Lee felt bad for him when she saw his burned eye shimmering with an emotion that was covered by the fire of his anger.

Ruon Jian had stepped closer to Mai afterwards, but Ty Lee heard Mai say, "Get lost."

Ty Lee went over to Mai and hugged her. She knew Mai was upset whether or not she revealed it. Azula showed up with a hint of amusement about the events that had just transpired. Only Azula knew if it was amusement at Zuko's fit, or the minor destruction caused at the party.

* * *

At first it seemed they were aimlessly walking in the cool night, but when they had reached a small secluded cove Azula stopped. "Well, that didn't go over well." 

Mai just looked down, and was beginning to show her unhappiness. A tear slid down her cheek. Ty Lee thought that one tear that shined with a placid silver radiance traveled forever before it hit Mai's chin and fell to the indifferent sand.

"You two wait here," Azula sighed, "I am going to get my dumb brother."

-End of Chapter 2-

You know I had a hard time finding out how to spell hor'dourves (which I don't know if this is right either), and that is really annoying. Just trying to fill some gaps from the episode. School work isn't the only thing stalling me from updating quicker. Waiting for episodes suck, because I don't want this to swing out of canon. Well... thanks for reading, and please give comments, construction criticism, or blow my head full of hot air with compliments.


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